11.2.13

Lucienne Day's Textiles

About two and a half years ago, Mr. Vague and I were on vacation in Washington, D.C. Among our list of places to visit was, of course, The Textile Museum. Serendipitously for us, the work of mid-century designer Lucienne Day was on view, and that was our first foray into her world of playful, gorgeously simple, timeless designs.

I don't know what's got me thinking of her lately, other than the fact that her fantastic prints are never far from my inspiration palate; I feel her work is an ever relevant example of how form and function can be married perfectly together to create a piece of art that is both aesthetically pleasing, as well as useful in the "real world".

{ the artist and her husband, Robin, in their studio, ca. early 1950s }

{ above: 'Calyx', arguably Ms. Day's most famous design, was first released to the public in 1951, and was primarily used for furniture coverings. Lucienne's sensible textiles not only revolutionized the industry, but also helped usher materials like plastic and plywood into the common home. }

{ In her time, Lucienne Day won many awards for her work in textiles, and in 1962 was made a Royal Designer for Industry, making her the 5th woman ever to be awarded that title. She died in late January, 2010, just six months before Mr. Vague and I first learned of her existence. }